Saturday, October 25, 2008

As children, my cousin Allison and I were forbidden, by my uncle, to enter his "sacred" strawberry patch under any circumstances. He also forbade us to pick apples off of his tree, but you'll soon read that we were less than obedient. However, I like to refer to it as simple curiosity over disobedience. One day we wanted strawberries so badly that we thought if we picked a few and ate them it would go unnoticed by the great harvester himself. We picked a handful each and gleefully ran into the house searching for the sugar jar. One at a time we reached our innocent hands into the sugar jar coating each strawberry with sweet goodness and savoring each bite. Once finished we freely returned to the world outside where hiding places were waiting to be discovered, forts were ready to be bulit, mud pies ready to be made, trees anxious to be climbed, and dusty roads waiting to be stirred up. The strawberries were far from our mind, but the sugar jar was well aware that it was no longer snowy white, but had remnants of red from the little hands that had so innocently used it to coat their strawberries. Not only was the sugar jar well aware, but my uncle had also made the discovery. To say the least our punishment was easy, because the laughter seemed to take away the sting and still to this day the story is told at many family events. Oh what a joy it is to reminisce about moments in our life that bring a smile and laughter!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, October 13, 2008

Mom missed out on the mini birthday celebration (hats, brownies, candles, ice cream & song) I had planned for Sunday, because she drove home Saturday evening instead of returning home Sunday as I thought she was going to do. So today, now that Sam and Amber are on their way back to Kentucky, Kyle & Michelle and kids and David and I are back in our weekly routines, I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! Thanks for coming and spending your birthday weekend to cheer on Michelle and me at the triathlon and to endure all the uncertain plans, hectic activity, and kid clamor with such flexibility and good humor.

Since we drove past those newly planted strawberry fields on the way home, perhaps you - or others of us could share some memories of picking berries or other produce?

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Rollerblading through Walsingham Park is a pleasurable and peaceful endeavor to me, but weekend mornings can be a bit challenging with the increased traffic on the winding path of the 6 mile pedestrian trail - groups of walkers engrossed in their conversation spread across the entire width of the trail, the under 6 set who haven't yet mastered the art of continuing to pedal straight ahead while staring at the oncoming skater, cyclers cresting a blind curve at the exact moment I'm passing some walkers, and lots and lots of dogs of all sizes with all leash lengths.

This morning, a woman's remonstrance to me "Try not to fall!" got me thinking about some of my other adventures with wheels....

A basic understanding of the "...equal and opposite reaction" principle might have stood me in good stead on the day I willingly collaborated with my friend, Patrice, to stand on a skateboard - yes, I, who did not own or know how to ride a skateboad - and hold onto a rope attached to the back of her bicycle. The theory was that she would tow me along. Well, after the first 2 feet she towed an empty skateboard because I was lying, unconscious, on the pavement. I came to consciousness to the sound of her sobbing, "please don't die, Sandra, please don't die..."

I haven't stepped on a skateboard since.

When David got his pilot's license (no, this is not our plane pictured above), he was so enthusiastic about the joys of being PIC (pilot in command - don't laugh - it is a true acronym used in all the general aviation literature) that he simply couldn't imagine that I wouldn't love flying a plane just as much as he did. Faced with my reluctance, he tried to trick me into falling in love with it by suggesting - no URGING - me to take a "pinch-hitters course" - the theory being that I would learn how to land the plane if he became unable to do so.

After more than 20 hours of instruction and numerous bouncing landings , the only thing I knew for sure about piloting was that I should NOT try to be the PIC. I persisted through three different instructors, a near mid-air collision, and clipping the tail of another plane parked on "the college ramp" when I taxied in, physically and mentally spent at the end of a lesson. I believe that incident cost us several thousand dollars in repair work.

Then, in the season of empty-nest, I decided I would enjoy our motorcycle rides even more if I was driving my own bike instead of squeezing in behind David on his Harley. I thought about how much I loved bicycling and how I needed to be taking on new challenges - since the flying gig hadn't panned out - and learning new things. I imagined myself motoring around our city and across the nation - the freedom, the exhilaration! During one of our visits to the local Harley store for parts, I got the inside scoop on a private instruction class put on by the dealership. The female salesperson told of her experience with such enthusiasm and hope -"Small classes...nobody fails...the instructors just keep helping you until you get it..."

I talked with David, plunked down the cash, and found myself in the Shriner's parking lot on the coldest weekend of the year. I had passed the written part of the course with flying colors, had made it through the first day of riding instruction on our 250cc (I think) student motorcycles.

Hindsight tells me I shouldn't have been wearing brand new, totally inflexible, dense soled boots that weekend, that I should have INSISTED the teacher let me do the Saturday afternoon shifting drill over again so he could see that I really wasn't getting the feel of it, that I shouldn't have doubled up dosage of my cold meds and given myself a practically sleepless Saturday night....

Long story made tolerable? I saved myself from being kicked out of class (yep - the instructor had already pulled a 400 pound rider from the squadron) by up-shifting up when I should have down-shifted, and applying the brakes just before I hit a wet patch on the curve...I came to consciousness 15-20 feet from where I last remembered being, with my classmates gathered around me. Apparently I'd been out long enough for them to all slow down, park and dismount. I had to get stitched up just above my eye, and I pretty much lived on ibuprofen for a few days while my twisted ankle and banged up knee recovered. The bruises were about the most colorful I've ever had.

In the interest of keeping his wife a few more years, David got me a much smaller motorcycle for Valentines Day that year. I was thrilled, and for a few weeks, practiced on the mostly quiet airport road to our hangar. But I had changed from a rider who rode "with" the bike, leaning into the turns with confidence, to a "stiff as a board" rider that the hangar pilots laughed at. I signed up for a repeat class a few months later, but woosed out and cancelled. We still have the bike and I'm not ready to give up on it yet, though I haven't ridden it for several years...

These days my dream scenarios of riding in the open air of Florida feature convertible automobiles, bicycles, and kayaks.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Can't seem to post a comment to address Susan's comment re Amber's recent entry this morning, so will do it via a post.

Susan - I loved that you noticed and had such concern about our writing posting times. I had wondered/worried about the same thing when Sam first started his blogs. Not to worry - blogspot apparently records our entries at Mountain or Pacific time - If I post at 6:00 am my time, the post will read 3:00 a.m.

Another publishing note: if, like me, you sometimes take more than one session to write and publish your blog entry, the date and time of your post will be listed as the first day you started it, and be slipped into date order among other entries that have been published since you began writing - it won't be the first entry on the blog, unless you click on Post Options at the bottom left corner of the Compose screen and enter the date and time you want listed as your post time. SO, if you want us to THINK you're up in the middle of the night to provide quality writing for your loyal readers...have at it!

I, personally, like the use of "Samber" when referring to them as a couple . I say "Sam and Amber" often, and appreciate the economy of the compound name, as well as the fact that unlike "Branjolina", they didn't have to leave out any letters of either name to get the couple moniker - "Samber" represents a union/fusion of their complete selves. David and I never came up with a smooth couple moniker using our names....any of the rest of you have some good ones?

Photo note: This from our girls' birthday weekend with Mom last fall to Apalachicola - this is one of the views from the boardwalk at the state park.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

My new computer is up and running so I'll be adding more brain cells as I learn how to do stuff. Last week was not a good time to explore the Dell when the a/c was out. Thanks to Kyle and David, the man you recommended didn't need to put in a new compresser--just a time delay. And I learned what to do in the future, but I'll write it down in case the memory bank is closed the day the a/c quits. On Robin's entry re: she and Bruce running away. Dad and I didn't see their note but told them next time we'd help them pack and had a reminder of when Susan wanted to run away to Grandma's when she was about 5. I think Sandy was the only one who didn't try , or maybe she did and we didn't know it. Glad that Gustav is gone but look out for Hanna and Ike.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Bruce do you recall the time you decided to run away and I was going to tag along? We were running to the woods as I recall. Unfortunately we didn't think to pack a lunch, a change of clothes, bug spray, etc. We returned home to discover no one had even seen our note "Don't try to find us, etc". How humiliating.

I learned, if I am going to run away, take Mom....she is an excellent packer, and always prepared with snacks, sun screen , bug spray etc, and when I am tired she has a soft lap.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Last weekend, Sam and I had the opportunity to be judges at a water balloon fight that was attempting to break the world record. Christian Student Fellowship (CSF), which is the largest campus ministry at the University of Kentucky, held the event. Microsoft currently holds the Guinness World record for the largest water balloon fight. We were able to break the most water balloons at a fight with 58,000, but missed the most number of people at a water balloon fight by 110 people. We had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check out the video above to view this amazing outreach opportunity that was put together by a few interns and a core group of CSF students.

I have to say Sam and I are blessed with so many opportunities to love and serve people of all ages and for that I am thankful to still be living in Lexington, Kentucky! I have recently joined the CSF board and Samber hopes to become more involved with the students over the next year.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

I do remember the camping trips that were lots of fun, lots of planning and work and so worth it. Besides that's all we could afford at that time. How about camping with the pop-up camper under the western sky near the Mesa Verde Indian dwellings. I sure felt the presence of those ancient people. Or waking up to find a beautiful lake when all we were impressed with the night before was having a pit toilet. I guess we were so intent on making memories that we got carried away. Coasting down that hill and praying for a service station to fix the oil leak on our Ford wagon that wouldn't start when it got hot. God sure had a lot to do to keep all of us safe. We kept pushing our luck! Even on the back roads, Dad sure loved to explore. The 3 trips across the Howard Franklin when we couldn't figure how to get back to Clearwater or wherever we lived then. This will be a fun time as I tell you more of my thoughts and how I remember our many adventures. We did a lot on faith and I still do. Love you all and the photos are great.

Just to add to the conversation...I remember that I was terrified of Grandma Temple's clock when I was little. It was so loud and I used to have nightmares that it was a bomb.

I also remember the church youth group camping trips. I always had a great time .. probably because I was able to hang out with the bigger kids some. The Ocala campgrounds were a lot of fun. Sandy do you remember when you and I got lost one night going to the bathroom and could not find our campsite?

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Great idea! Glad that someone got this started. The picnic pictures remind me of the summer afternoons that we spent in Uncle Marshall and Aunt Jessie's backyard (also Grandma Temple's) for picnics when we still lived in New York. This would have been before Robin and almost before Bruce. It was just a yard full of Temples and tables full of picnic food. Everybody ate till they were stuffed and kids ran around the yard everywhere. There were a lot more boys than girls. I remember the lightening bugs too and riding home in the dark. I was recently reminded of Grandma Temple's when someone introduced me to their dog, a little black Scottie just like the one she kept on her bed, where we were forced to nap if we were visiting during nap time. I hated the clock in her bedroom (which you had to walk through to get to the bathroom) because it ticked really loudly and one of my older cousins (a boy, I'm sure, who got a kick out of teasing me) had me convinced it was a bomb.

Well, we have survived Faye here at the McNiels'. Robin, what are you doing on the computer at 4am?

What a wonderful idea. My kids are asking all the time about what was it like when I was growing up, or to remind them of memories from when they were small. This past week Mom was telling me that she ran into a woman who used to be in the teen group when they were the counselers. She remembered the camping trips, as I do. I don't remember alot about them but the swimming, and perhaps that is because I wasn't a strong swimmer yet. I do remember Juniper Springs and Alexandria Springs in Ocala and canoeing at one of them. I don't even know if there are still open camp grounds there. I do remember having fun, and now I wonder if Mom and Dad ever had second thoughts about taking so many teens (boys and girls) into the woods together by themselves? I know times have changed (and not always for the better), but I wonder if they got the enjoyment out of it, that all of you did, and even myself, tho I can't remember much but the swimming. All of the good stuff must have gone on after I was forced to go to bed! :-)

Friday, August 22, 2008

So here is the start of the Temple family blog, set up for all of us to post pictures, news, thoughts, thanksgivings and memories. I'm hoping that ALL of us will contribute from time to time, and that it will be an easy to use format for Mom to record some of her memories for us from her and dad's lives together and their family stories.

Family members: If I had your current e-mail address I sent you an invitation to co-author this blog. If you didn't get an invitation and want to post to the blog, make sure I get your e-mail address so you can get on board. If you need help getting started, just ask. I'll add a photo badge/album and links to other family members' sites as I'm able. Right now I have it set as an open site where anyone can view it - if you want it set up restricting viewers to only those we invite, let me know right away.

Here's some of our pics from the Easter get-together for your enjoyment. Apparently Kirsten was inside when I was snapping photos, so if you have one with her in it from that day, would you please upload it?